Agency releases report on July crash that sent car over bridge wall

The Maryland Transportation Authority said the primary cause of a three-vehicle crash on the Bay Bridge that sent a woman's car plunging over the edge in July was distracted driving on the part of a commercial truck driver.

A preliminary federal report on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge crash that sent a car into the water says the driver of a tractor-trailer involved was on his first trip in the U.S. without a more experienced operator.

Federal officials will investigate last week's crash on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge as new cellphone video shows the survivor swimming to safety moments after her car plunged off the bridge Friday night.

During the incident, a tractor-trailer driven by Gabor Lovasz, 29, of Canada, rear-ended a Chrysler on the bridge's eastbound span as the Chrysler was slowing down to stop, causing it to go over the barrier wall and fall about 27 feet into the shallow waters. The rig also hit a Mazda.

Investigators said Lovasz, who emigrated to Canada from Hungary, was on his first unaccompanied trip driving through the U.S. and was crossing the bridge when he noticed flashing lights behind him and looked into his driver's side mirror to see what was happening. Lovasz said when he turned his attention forward again, he noticed the stopping vehicles and tried to steer to avoid contact but ended up hitting the Chrysler.

Officials said the Chrysler, driven by Morgan Lake, 23, of Sunderland, had slowed to about 4 mph when it was hit by the big rig, which was going between 47-51 mph prior to the crash. Inspectors determined there were no mechanical problems with the tractor-trailer.

"This crash demonstrates how critical it is that motorists devote their full attention to driving when operating motor vehicles," said MdTA Police Chief Col. Michael Kundrat. He said most Bay Bridge crashes are caused by tailgating, so he suggested drivers maintain a proper following distance to stay safe.

Lovasz is being charged with failure to control speed to avoid a collision, unsafe lane changing, negligent driving and speed greater than reasonable and prudent on highway, all of which carry fines.

Thankfully, Lake was able to unbuckle her seat belt after her Chrysler went into the water, free herself and swim to a nearby bridge abutment. She was treated for minor injuries. Neither Lovasz nor the driver of the Mazda were injured.

In its report, the MdTA also referenced a two-car crash in April on the same section of the Bay Bridge that also involved a car ending up on the barrier wall.

"Both the April and July crashes were a direct result of distracted driving. Every one of us has immense responsibility behind the wheel," Kundrat said.

According to MdTA police, most crashes on the bridge are caused by aggressive driving, tailgating, speeding and distractions behind the wheel. They said incidents are increasing.

Authorities said they investigate about 70-90 crashes a year on the bridge, including the April incident in which a collision pushed a car onto the jersey wall. The faulted driver in that crash claimed to be looking at the bay scenery at the time.

Kundrat said the MdTA is going to take a closer look at that span of the bridge to find out what can be done to make it safer, including considering flashing "Congestion Ahead" signs, requiring headlight usage during two-way traffic operations and adding rumble strips.

Raising the height of the jersey walls is on the MdTA's radar, but it's not on the drawing board. For now, authorities said they are considering new safety measures on a stretch of road just prior to the bridge curve.

IS W-THIS IS 11 NEWS AT 6:00 P.M. IT WAS TRULY A DRIVER'S NIGHTMARE COME TRUE. A CRASH SENT A VEHICLE OVER THE BRIDGE AND INTO THE WATER BELOW. THE DRIVER MIRACULOUSLY ESCAPED WITH ONLY MINOR INJURIES. CHARGES HAVE NOW BEEN FILED AGAINST THE TRUCK DRIVER, THEY SAY CAUSED THE ACCIDENT. IT WILL NOT SURPRISE YOU TO LEARN THAT DISTRACTED DRIVING IS ALLEGEDLY INVOLVED. HERE IS MORE ON TONIGHT'S BIG STORY. DAVID? POLICE SLAPPED A FOUR HEFTI TRAFFIC CITATIONS ON THE TRUCK DRIVER. AN INVESTIGATION DETERMINED HE WAS DISTRACTED. DISTRACTED DRIVING IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON CAUSES OF ACCIDENTS ON THE BAY BRIDGE. 22-YEAR-OLD MORGAN MAKE TAKING REFUGE. IT IS INDELIBLE IMAGE SKETCHED IN THE MINDS OF MANY TRAVELERS. A TRACTOR-TRAILER DRIVER CRASHED INTO HER VEHICLE, PUSHING IT OVER THE JURORS THE WALL. PLUNGED 27 FEET INTO THE BAY. SHE TOLD INVESTIGATORS THAT GLASS BROKE EVERY WHERE AND AIR BAGS WENT OFF AND BEFORE I COULD FINISH SCREAMING I WAS IN THE WATER. I TOOK FIVE DEEP BREATHS AND GASPED FOR AIR. A CANADIAN TRUCK DRIVER CAUSE THE TRASH. -- CAUSED THE CRASH. HE SAID HE WAS LOOKING AT HIS DRIVER'S SIDE MIRROR FLASHING HEADLIGHTS. WHEN YOU LOOK FORWARD AGAIN, I SAW THAT THE PRICE THERE IN FRONT OF THEM HAD STOPPED. HE UNSUCCESSFULLY TRIED TO STEER LEFT TO AVOID CONTACT HE HAD HER CAR TWICE, AS WELL AS A MONSTER. THE INVESTIGATION -- AS WELL AS A MAZDA. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT HE WAS GOING 40 TO 50 M.P.H. AT THE TIME. FAILURE TO CONTROL SPEED IN A COLLISION. DRIVERS CHANGING LANES WHEN UNSAFE. MOST CRASHES ON THE BRIDGE ARE CAUSED BY AGGRESSIVE DRIVING, TAILGATING, AND DISTRACTION BEHIND THE WHEEL. AUTHORITIES INVESTIGATES AND 70-90 CRASHES A YEAR ON AVERAGE, INCLUDING ONE LAST SPRING WHEN A COLLISION PUSH A CAR ON TO THE WALL. THE DRIVER SAID THEY WERE LOOKING AT THE SCENERY AT THE TIME. FOR NOW, AUTHORITIES ARE CONSIDERING NEW SAFETY MEASURES ON A STRETCH OF ROAD JUST PRIOR TO THE BRIDGE CURVE. FLASHING, CONGESTIONS, SIGNED REQUIRING IT MIGHT USE DURING TO-WE OPERATIONS, AND ADDING ADDITIONAL RUMBLE STRIPS. THE CANADIAN TRUCK DRIVER FACES MORE THAN $600 IN FINES AND IS COOPERATING THEY EXPECT